


Everyday a Little Death

by Zucchini999



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Child Neglect, Dragons, M/M, Magic, Past Child Abuse, Thomas Roman and Patton are brothers, Virgil has an older sister
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2019-09-26 02:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17133521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zucchini999/pseuds/Zucchini999
Summary: Based on the animatic on YouTube by altruistic skittles.Virgil is the heir to the Isle of Storms. The only problem? His older sister wants the throne for herself.Patton is the youngest of the three princes of Starlight. His oldest brother, Thomas, is helping their sick father rule the kingdom. His other brother, Roman, wants to be a knight. Patton? He just wants to enjoy life.





	1. Chapter 1

“Help the queen!” cried the king.  
The guards standing outside the door of their chamber rushed inside and lifted the queen, placing her on the bed. One of the guards ran out of the room, presumably looking for a physician.  
The king looked back at the queen when she screamed. His gaze travelled to the bed upon seeing a spreading darkness. He grabbed her hand, not knowing any ways to relieve her pain. The physician came running in, closely followed by a puffing guard and two maids. One carried towels and the other carried a large blanket.  
“This may take a while. It would be best if you leave.”  
The king looked at the physician. His wife was in pain, he had no idea what was going on and this hooligan thought he’d leave his wife. “I think that I’ll stay.”  
The physician visibly cowered under the steel gaze of the king but kept quiet, accepting the fact that the king would not move. When the queen screamed again, the physician burst into action. He had brought his toolkit and set it on the bed next to the queen’s feet.  
“What’s happening?” a guard asked.  
“She’s giving birth,” was the short reply from the physician.  
The king’s head snapped around. His wife was giving birth. He would finally know if he had a son, an heir.  
The maids helped the queen out of her heavy dress, so that the physician had better access to the baby. They rolled her onto her side, so that they could untie her corset. Breathing thanks, the queen gasped and winced again, unable to ease the pain.  
An hour had passed and the king had grown bored. His excitement about the gender of his kid had grown less. He just wanted that child out. Seeing the physician gesture for his wife to push, he left the room.  
Hours passed and the king entered the room. He was expecting to see his wife still gasping for air and grimacing, but when he opened the door he froze. His wife was sitting upright, holding a bundle of blankets and cooing gently. He looked around the room, trying to spot the physician but to no avail. He walked to his wife and held out his arms. She gently placed the baby in his arms but had a scared look on her face. The king thought nothing of it, thinking that she was worried he was going to drop the baby. He starting unwrapping the blanket, eager to see if it was a son, but stopped once again when he saw the genitalia.   
“You gave me a daughter?” he said, his tone had all the evidence of an uncontrolled rage barely contained.  
“I can’t help it. I can’t control the gender of the baby!” the queen cried, scared that her husband would do something to the baby.  
“What use is a daughter? How am I meant to teach her to control armies? How to strategize? What am I meant to do with someone who doesn’t understand?” the king started yelling, and with him, his daughter starting screaming.  
“SHUT UP!” the king bellowed, effectively making the baby scream louder.  
He practically threw the baby at the queen and walked away, making her gasp and fling her arms out to catch her.  
“What did you call the wench anyway?” he growled.  
“Mara. Her name is Mara.”  
The king was unimpressed. He turned back to the queen. “I will allow you to recover, but you will give me a son.”  
The queen nodded solemnly. She knew this was going to happen. She knew that her husband would rather she die if it meant that their son, if they had one, would live. She sighed and went back to calming down Mara. 

Three years had passed and King Deimos of The Isles of Storms had grown angrier. His wife had been unable to carry children, so still had yet to give him a son. Mara was three and believed that she was going to be queen, unaware that her father wanted a son to have the throne after him. He still wasn’t sure what to think of her, other than she was more like him than his wife, Queen Cecilia. Mara was headstrong, stubborn and her tones often held little room for negotiation. But still, Deimos yearned for a boy. And he did get a boy, after two more years of waiting, his wife delivered him a baby boy, whom he instantly named Virgil. Virgil was a quiet baby, more like Cecilia than Deimos, but Deimos didn’t mind. He had a son that he could teach to lead armies and fight. He had a son he could be proud of but he no longer cared about his daughter. Mara grew bitter towards her brother. She forced herself to hate him. She hated him because he was a boy and she wasn’t. She hated him because he didn’t want to be king but would be. She hated him because it was his fault. All his fault.


	2. Chapter 2

“That’s not fair!”  
Prince Roman groaned as his little brother, Prince Patton, was placed next to him. “Thomas, I’m busy. Can’t you play with him for once?”  
Thomas looked down at his brother, sadness in his eyes. “You know why I can’t. Please, do this for me.”  
Roman nodded, knowing all too well that their father was getting sicker as each month passed, and wanted to teach Thomas as much as he could. Patton was too young to understand, but someday, when he was older, he would. Thomas walked out of the room and Roman watched him go. Patton grabbed Roman’s sleeves and began to tug, albeit weakly. Roman picked Patton up and sat him on his knees. Roman started bouncing his legs up and down, giving the impression of a bumpy ride. Patton loved it. He was squealing with delight. Roman’s smile was small, it seemed that he was looking after Patton and had no time to himself these days, especially with his studies. He didn’t mind but he did get sick of it.  
Thomas looked at his father, King Mahlon, and felt worse. His father was slowly deteriorating. Mahlon, once a strong king, was unable to truly rule the kingdom anymore. Thomas, being the oldest, had taken on the role of Prince Regent, taking some of his father’s duties as to relieve him from some of his burden. Mahlon was grateful but knew Thomas would take more and more duties so that he could rest.  
“Dad, are you sure you’re alright?” Thomas asked, having stopped writing a report.  
“I’m sure, son. How are those reports going?”  
“I’m just confused with how I’m meant to… I don’t know how to fill in the… Can you please help me with the paperwork for the Battle school?” Thomas asked.  
Mahlon held out his hand for the papers and Thomas passed them over. Mahlon looked over them for a few minutes, before handing them back.  
“It's asking for a report on how the Battle school is going, so you give them feedback.”  
“Why can't they just write that then. Life would be so easy.” Thomas complained.  
Mahlon laughed. He knew his son meant well but was easily confused with what was wanted due to how things were stated. As Thomas went back to work, he missed the fond smile on his father’s face.

“But, I don’t want to be king!”  
Deimos looked at his son. His anger was slowly bubbling to the surface. His son, someone who was better suited to the throne than his sister, didn’t want it. Deimos considered it to be a betrayal. How dare his son reject his birthright.  
“You were BORN to be KING and yet you refuse? I have been raising you to succeed as a monarch, yet you reject that? Are you my son, or NOT?” Deimos bellowed.  
Virgil flinched. He didn’t know what he did wrong. Surely his father understood that Virgil didn’t feel like he was going to be a good king.  
That was the problem with Virgil, he was being raised to be a king like his father, rule with an iron first, attack first, ask questions later, but he didn’t want to rule at all. If he did have to rule, it wouldn’t be like his father. He would rule as best as he could. Keep the land at peace, and hopefully find someone that could point out things that are wrong.  
“You are a prince, my heir. You can understand things better than your sister-”  
“But what if I can’t?” Virgil mumbled.  
“There is no question. You are my son, you will be able to do it because I was able to do it.”  
“I’m not you. I’ll never be you.”  
Deimos’ gaze turned icy and Virgil shrank. He hated being the centre of attention. His dad only thought it to be nervousness caused by a lack of experience for his age, Virgil being the sprightly age of four. Virgil knew that his mother knew better.  
“You will be king, no questions asked. Do you understand?” Deimos’ voice lowered to a hard tone, but it still scared Virgil as much as the bellowing.  
“Yes, sir.”  
Deimos glared at his son for a second longer, before swiftly making his way out of the room, leaving Virgil in the middle of a large room, alone and on the brink of tears.


	3. Chapter 3

“Have you… where is Patton?” Roman asked.  
“I thought he was with you!” Thomas replied.  
The brothers turned around on the spot, trying to catch a sight of the youngest that was nowhere to be seen. Agreeing on directions, Thomas and Roman split up. Roman was the one that eventually found Patton, mainly because he knew Patton better than what Thomas did due to spending more time with him. Patton, now five years old, had the mentality of a three-year-old. The three brothers met up where Thomas and Roman had initially split up.  
“Thomas, you didn’t find me!” Patton giggled.  
Thomas stopped mid-stride and stared confusedly at Patton. “What do you mean?”  
“You promised you’d find me but you didn’t, so I win!”  
Thomas sighed. He didn’t remember promising to find Patton, he couldn’t even remember Patton asking him to play hide and seek, which, of course, was Patton’s favourite game as he could hide in the smallest, most obscure places that no one would ever think to look for him. It made winning all the more easier for the youngest prince of Starlight.  
“I’m sorry, Patton. I had forgotten and I was busy with work,” Thomas apologised.  
“You’re always busy with work. You don’t play anymore!” Patton whined.  
Thomas sighed. “Come on, we’re meant to be in a meeting at the moment.”  
Thomas turned and Roman, grabbing Patton’s hand, followed. They arrived at the Great Hall, where a delegation from the Isles of Storms were waiting for them. Thomas, stopped, mentally preparing himself for a king whom was supposedly stern, and had little room for incompetence. Opening the door and stepping into the room, Thomas, Roman and Patton, looked at King Deimos talking calmly to their father. Bowing to both kings, they made their way to the seats on the left of their father. On the left of the foreign king, sat a small boy, about Patton’s age, wearing a crown, and looking extremely scared.  
“King Deimos, these are my sons, Prince Thomas, Prince Roman, and Prince Patton.”  
“Pleasure to meet you. This is my son, Prince Virgil.” King Deimos swept a hand, and gestured towards his son, who did a little bow in his seat.  
Patton looked at Virgil, wanting to know what kind of person he was and, more importantly, if he wanted to play.  
Virgil studied Thomas, thinking he was probably a peace-keeper. Virgil thought Roman would be the trouble-maker of the family, or, at least, a fighter. Looking at Patton, Virgil didn’t know what to think. Would Patton be like Virgil, distant from his older siblings, or was he close to them? Their eyes met and Virgil was tempted to look away, he hated being the subject of attention for anybody for any period of time. However, his gaze stayed locked with Patton’s. There was something twinkling behind his eyes, and Virgil didn’t know whether he wanted to run away, or find out. To Virgil, both options were bad. Should he run away, but stay curious and live with regret, or, find out and possibly be harmed.  
On the other hand, Patton looked in Virgil’s eyes and saw someone devoid of love. Patton didn’t like that. In his opinion, kids should have love, well, everyone should have love regardless of age or occupation, but Virgil was a kid, not an adult, and he needed love, urgently, and what better way to express love than playing. Patton swore that he would make sure that Virgil got to play.  
Both King Mahlon and King Deimos started talking pleasantries about the other’s kingdom. During this time, Thomas contributed a bit to the conversation, after all, he was the Prince Regent and was helping to take care of the kingdom. Roman kept up with the conversation, Patton was becoming restless and Virgil was trying, and failing, to stay out of the conversation that his father was dragging him back into. Finally, both kings stared at Virgil when he quietly refused to voice his opinions. Mahlon accepted it, knowing that the boy was Patton’s age and was finding the conversation dull but Deimos thought otherwise.  
“I didn’t bring you here so you could sit quietly. I brought you here so you could be a king.”  
King Mahlon shifted uncomfortably in his seat, squirmish at the verbal abuse occurring right in front of him.  
“King Deimos, please refrain from shouting. Virgil is just a young boy-” Mahlon started.  
“He is my son and my heir. He needs to learn and what better time than now!” Deimos yelled, flinging his arms out and hitting Virgil over the head rather hardly.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone stared at Virgil, except King Deimos, who was completely ignoring the fact that Virgil was starting to tear up. No one tried to stop Virgil from running out of the room. Instead, King Mahlon looked at Patton, and seeing the questioning look in his eyes, nodded his permission for Patton to follow the prince. Immediately, Patton shot out of his seat and started sprinting to Virgil, trying to catch up. He followed Virgil all the way to East Wing, which was at least fifty metres away from the Great Hall. Virgil pushed open a heavy door, which he had no idea what was inside, however, Patton knew it was the library.  
Once inside, Virgil struggled to close the door. He didn’t know where he was, but that didn’t matter, he would find someone when he had calmed down. He found a secluded alcove, that was suspiciously his size, and hidden unless you knew it was there. It was by chance that Virgil found it. He crawled in and enjoyed the peaceful sensation that the murky light from the alcove brought. Virgil focused on his breathing, which slowed his erratic heart down to just faster than his normal heart rate. He realised he had been crying as he ran, and wiped the tears and tear tracks off his face, using the sleeve of his shirt. He opted to stay there for a few more minutes, but before he could settle in further, the low light plunged into darkness.  
“You are here, Virgil!” Patton exclaimed.  
Virgil looked up at him. He knew it was the youngest prince, but only because Patton seemed to be around the same size as him. Virgil didn’t know what to say or do, so he chose to stay quiet.  
“It’s okay, Virgil. My dad is not going to tol-er-ate what your dad did. Oh, are you okay?”  
Virgil blinked. It wasn’t everyday someone asked him how he was. His father expected him to feel exactly what he feels, and his sister never had anything to do with him.  
“I-uh, I don’t know.” Virgil couldn’t explain his feelings, so he said the next best thing.  
“Well, when I’m upset, I like to play games with my older brothers, but Thomas never has time to play, so it’s mainly Roman. We usually play hide and seek. Would you like to play?” Patton offered.  
Virgil was stunned. What was hide and seek? Was it easy? He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He swallowed the lump that was forming in the back of his throat and tried again. “I guess, but I don’t know how to play.”  
“It’s easy. One thing, how high can you count?” Patton asked.  
“I can count to a hundred. Dad has made sure that I can.”  
“Good. Okay, so, I’ll count to a hundred while you run and find a hiding place. If I can’t find you, you win. If I find you, I win. Then we swap, so I hide while you count. Is that okay?” Patton explained.  
Virgil nodded. He was good at hiding, and staying quiet, so he was sure that he could at least make it hard for Patton, seeming Patton would know where all of the good hiding spots were. Patton crawled backwards so that Virgil could come out.  
“We’ll make this the counting spot.” Patton then crawled back in and Virgil took off. He had a full one hundred seconds to run and hide. He noticed that Patton left the door to the library open, making it easier for Virgil to leave the room. For that, Virgil was thankful. He ran off down the halls, and came to the Buttery, the place where beer and candles were stored. Virgil stood for a few seconds, gaining his breath, then he remembered that Patton would start looking for him shortly. He raced around the room, until he saw an empty beer barrel lying on its side, halfway underneath a shelf. Virgil pried the lid off, finding it came out surprisingly easily, and crawled into the tiny space. He put the lid in place and started to wait for Patton.  
“One hundred. Virgil, here I come.”  
Patton crawled out of the hidey-hole that he had built to win against Roman and Thomas. He was proud of it. He had little spaces like that in every room. You just had to know what you were looking for.


	5. Chapter 5

Patton walked out of the library. Judging from the footsteps that echoed throughout the halls, Patton guessed that Virgil tried to put as much distance between him and Patton as possible. The trouble was guessing which way Virgil had gone. Patton went right, figuring that was the way Virgil went considering the Great Hall was positioned to the left of the library. Little did he know, Virgil didn’t know which way he had come from, so he had gone left.  
Patton wandered down to the kitchens, checked there, receiving confused glances from the scullery maids and cooks. He shrugged, they should know better by now since he spent most of his time playing hide and seek. He searched for Virgil and couldn’t find him anywhere. Patton hummed, his excitement levels were nearly through the roof. Roman could never hide this good and Thomas never played. Patton smiled and fist-pumped the air in complete and utter joy. He had a hide and seek rival.  
Virgil sighed. He didn’t know how long he had been curled in on himself but he yearned to stretch his legs. He was about to uncurl himself, when he heard a door open. Not wanting to be caught, he stayed completely still, not making a single noise, something that he had a lot of practice with. He heard heavy footsteps, and relaxed. He knew that an adult had heavy steps, not children like him and Patton. He waited until they left before crawling out slightly and stretching for a few minutes. He waited a bit more, hesitant to go back into the barrel, waiting in the confining dark, for someone he wasn’t totally sure would find him. However, he quickly dove back in when he heard a gasp.  
Patton made his way to the kitchens. He had not made his hiding spots in most of the rooms and he had done a quick check in all of the rooms not containing at least one. Patton was ecstatic that Virgil had found not only one, but two of his hiding spots. He bolted into the kitchen, and into one the the scullery maids, who proceeded to gasp rather loudly. He mumbled his apologies and kept going, albeit at a slower pace to avoid running into someone again.  
He checked in all of his kitchen hiding spots, he had made back-ups, because Roman had found him in more than one, so he made more to confuse him, and checked all of them. When Virgil was revealed to not be in any of them, Patton was not disappointed. This was the longest he had ever searched.  
Moving to the pantry, Patton checked less thoroughly, knowing that his hiding spot had been discovered several times by the servants. He hesitated when he reached the doors to the Buttery. He didn’t know why, but his adrenaline levels spiked. He took a deep breath, his heart was pounding and he could hear it, and opened the door. It dragged on the ground and Patton frowned. The door should not be dragging on the ground. He’d have to get someone to fix it.  
He strode confidently over to the barrel to his left, and tried to prise the lid off, stopping when he had the sudden epiphany that his hiding barrels were either upside down, to had easy to move lids. He moved around each barrel and tried opening the lid. If it didn’t open easily, Patton tried to flip it. If that didn’t work, he simply moved onto the next barrel.  
It went on like this for a while; Patton trying to remove lids and flip full barrels, and Virgil lying in fear, and not making a single sound. He dared not breathe, for he feared that his breath would be shaky and reveal his hiding spot.  
Patton started getting bored and had almost reached the last of the barrels and started to get scared. He had checked all of the rooms now, except the Great Hall. Surely, Virgil hadn’t gone back in there. He quickly checked the remaining barrels and started to walk out, only stopping when he saw a barrel, half sticking out behind the door. He let his hopes rise; he didn’t care if they fell. He crouched when he reached it and pushed. It was easy to push, too easy.

Virgil continued to wait. He just wanted to breathe again. He couldn’t care if it was Patton anymore, he just wanted to breathe. He almost cried with relief when the barrel was moved. He knew it was Patton, but why did his brain tell him that it wasn’t? He started to panic, and with his panic, he started to hyperventilate.  
It’s not Patton. It’s Deimos. He’s found you. He’s mad! Why did you run off Virgil?  
“I found you!”  
Virgil screamed.


	6. Chapter 6

Patton recoiled at Virgil’s reaction. He didn’t expect it. Surely being found wasn’t that horrifying. He tried to get a glimpse at Virgil. He was shaking and his breath was coming too quick. Patton tried to grab Virgil’s legs, to get him out of the barrel, but Virgil drew back and his breathing got worse. Patton started to worry. He didn’t know what was happening, he didn’t know how to fix it, he didn’t even know what had caused it.  
Patton ran out of the room and the scullery maid he ran into before was coming straight for him.  
“Help. Prince Virgil… Something happened to Prince Virgil.”  
Patton waited until she had caught up, before taking off in the direction of the Buttery. She followed closely behind him, her long legs letting her keep up with Patton easily. Patton threw open the doors and pointed to the barrel where he had unwillingly left Virgil. She kneeled and stared unblinkingly at Virgil for a few seconds.  
“He’s having an panic attack.”  
“What’s that?”  
“He’s… how do I explain this? He’s really scared of something and he is reacting to it.”  
Patton blinked, he understood, but at the same time, he didn’t. The scullery maid took no notice of his confusion and started to talk to Virgil.  
“Hey, it’s okay. Nothing is going to happen, nothing is going to get you. Uh,” she hesitated, trying to remember her mother dealt with her brother’s panic attacks. “Breathe in, 1, 2, 3, 4. Hold. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Breathe out, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.”  
She repeated this for a few times, and Patton stood still. He hadn’t moved a muscle, too worried about Virgil. Was he going to be okay?   
When the scullery maid started helping Virgil out of the barrel, Patton took a tentative step forward. He was still unsure. Virgil accepted the help from the maid and stood up on shaky legs. He looked at Patton. There was something in his eyes that Patton didn’t understand, something that he didn’t know.  
The maid left, she wanted to stay to look after the visiting prince, but she had to work.  
Virgil stood, awkwardly waiting for Patton to say something, not knowing that Patton was doing the exact same thing. There stood there for a few seconds for Virgil to remember that they were playing a game. So, he started counting out loud.  
Patton froze. Why was Virgil counting? Then he realised that they never really stopped playing. He ran out of the room as fast as his legs would take him and he never looked back.  
“Mother. Why does Virgil get all of His Majesty’s attention?” Mara asked, venom dripping from her voice.  
“Mara, your father does things differently. He hates women but loves men. In his eyes, women are a lesser species.” Cecilia replied, not even looking away from her embroidery.  
Mara glared at her mother. Did his majesty truly believe that women were a lesser species? She’d just have to show him he was wrong. Then maybe, just maybe, she would get to rule.  
She had taken to practising swordsmanship in private, with a knight that was completely devoted to her. She had learned the basics, and was dangerous in her own rights. Hopefully, that would make Deimos believe that she, a female, lesser species was able to defend herself. Hopefully, the theory that the knight, Dolos, had taught her about how to besiege a castle. That should impress him for sure. However, Mara was still doubtful. What if she couldn’t impress Deimos? Virgil would still take the throne, her throne. As the first born, it was rightfully hers. It should be hers.  
“Mara, even though he may not show it, your father is proud of you,” her mother said.  
Mara spun hearing her mother’s words. Deimos wasn’t her father, not in any sense of the word other than the fact that she shared some of her blood with him. He was never her father and he never acted like it. He spent all of his time with Virgil. If he was truly her father, shouldn’t he spend at least some time with her, instead of dismissing her all of the time? He never said anything to her; he only ever scowled at her, or any mention of her. Fathers don’t do that to their daughters.  
Mara focused on her mother. Cecilia was still doing her embroidery, not even looking at Mara. Mara hated her, hated the fact that she was the very definition of her name, blind. Cecilia was blind in all sense of the word. Blind to the fact that Deimos was abusive. Blind to the fact that her daughter was hardly ever studying. Blind to the fact that her daughter had gone behind everyone’s backs. Blind to the fact that Virgil was scared of his sister, not that Mara even thought of him as her brother. Cecilia was completely and utterly blind.


	7. Chapter 7

Patton had never been more scared in his short life. There was really nothing to be afraid of in his kingdom, in his home. Virgil was standing beside him, and was equally afraid.  
After Virgil had found Patton - half hidden in a small hiding spot he had never managed to get completely into before Virgil had found him - the two young princes were slowly walking back to the library, when they saw King Deimos waiting for them. They had frozen, not wanting to take a step forward. Deimos saw their hesitation and frowned. His features somehow becoming darker and angrier. He stared directly into Virgil’s eyes and Patton saw Virgil shiver before slowly stepping forward. Deimos grabbed Virgil when he was close enough and abruptly led Virgil down the hallway. Patton stood there, watching, until his father and his brothers came to get him.  
“Did Deimos come to collect Virgil?” Roman asked, bending down to talk to Patton.  
Patton nodded, tears starting to form. Roman looked away, down the hall where the visiting royals from the Isles of Storms had disappeared down. He hugged Patton and picked him up. They followed Thomas and Mahlon back down the hall, away from Virgil and his father.  
“What did I tell you before?” Deimos shouted at his son.  
Virgil felt his breathing spike. His dad stepped forward. “B-but you hit me!”  
“So you ran off? If I had half a mind, I would kick you out, but you’re lucky we’re visiting this castle or I would!”  
Virgil whimpered. He shouldn’t expect anything less from his father right now. He had done the wrong thing, and possibly put their relationship with the Starlight kingdom. If he had just listened to his father, maybe he wouldn’t be in this situation. It seemed unlikely, but Virgil wishes he could go back. To not run away. But as much as Virgil wants to go back, a part of him doesn’t. He had enjoyed his time with Patton. For the first time in his short, miserable life, he had a friend, a true friend.  
“ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?” Deimos bellowed, his hand swinging wildly at Virgil’s face.  
Virgil flinched and fell backwards onto his butt. “Yes.”  
“NO! YOU UNGRATEFUL BOY! YOU NEVER LISTEN!” Deimos’ rage filled eyes bored holes into Virgil’s. As much as he wanted to look away, he knew he couldn’t. His father would yell at him more.  
Roman jumped when he heard the visiting king yell. Even though Roman wasn’t near the rooms, he could hear him, he just couldn’t make out the words. He decided to check out what had made the foreign king mad, which was a horrible decision really. King Deimos of the Isle of Storms was yelling at his son, and his words became clearer the closer Roman got. Standing just outside of the foreign king’s door, Roman wished that he’d never heard the shouting.  
It was awful to say the least. The more that Roman heard, the more he understood why the young prince had ran from the room. He was afraid of his own dad. Roman kept listening, unable to move, too afraid that he’d be caught and face the king in his blind rage.  
Roman flinched when he heard a loud step from just inside the door, directly next to where he was standing. It was at that moment that Roman decided to flee, not wanting to face the foreign king. He felt bad, leaving Virgil there, but it was not in Roman’s place to do anything, though it didn’t make Roman feel any better.  
Thomas had a few minutes to spare before his next appointment. He wanted to spend time with his brothers, but he had been pushing them away. Thomas had just gotten caught up in wanting to care for their father, that he forgot to care for them too. He forgot to care for himself, even.  
He wanted to hope that Roman could forgive him. Roman being old enough to understand, he would be harder. He knew how to hate, Patton, however, was still too young. He could be easily persuaded, but Thomas didn’t want to sway Patton with a half-hearted attempt at getting to know his brother. He wanted to fully know his brother, what made him happy, what made him laugh, what made him cry. He wanted it so badly, that he regretted every time that he had turned away, leaving him alone with Roman.  
No wonder Roman had wanted Thomas to play with him for once; he must be sick of it. Thomas wondered briefly what Roman actually thought of him, if Roman thought that he, Thomas, was a horrible brother.

**Author's Note:**

> This is originally posted on Tumblr. New chapters will be posted their first.


End file.
